‘MotorcycleSim’: An Evaluation of Rider Interaction with an Innovative Motorcycle Simulator

This paper describes a user-centred design process that has been used to develop an innovative simulator for research into motorcycle ergonomics and rider human factors. Building on initial user requirements and user experience elicitation exercises, an evaluation was conducted to investigate specific issues associated with simulator fidelity. An experimental approach was employed to examine the physical and functional fidelity of the simulator. Using different steering and visual feedback configurations, a battery of objective and subjective dependent variables were analysed including: user perceptions and preferences, rider performance data, rider workload, rider comfort issues and the first evaluation of simulator sickness for a motorcycle simulator. The results indicated that across a number of measures, aspects of functional fidelity were considered more important than the physical fidelity of the simulator. This evaluation takes the development of the simulator a stage further and the paper provides recommendations for future improvements.